We all Laughed at Hasselblad when they launched the Lunar camera (a luxurious NEX-7 clone). But it seems like Olympus will follow Hasselblad path. They just announced a £16,000 E-P5 Art Edition that will be sold exclusively by Harrods in London.
This is the official Olympus Press Release:
Olympus PEN Art Edition – exclusive to Harrods
A uniquely collectable collaboration between Olympus, urban artist Suzko & fashion photographer Jay McLaughlin
London, August 8: Exclusive, luxurious, one-of-a-kind, the perfect premium ‘accessory’ for both photographers and petrol heads, the Olympus Art Edition aims to combine the heritage and unique features of the Olympus PEN compact camera system with the prestige and individuality of owning an original artwork.
By twinning a stunning high-end camera with an effortlessly cool custom painted white Vespa, this project sumptuously succeeds in being a true ‘one off’. It’s a uniquely collectable first collaboration between urban artist Susie ‘Suzko’ Lowe and fashion photographer Jay McLaughlin. It’s also the first ever – and therefore highly prized – Olympus Art Edition available exclusively through Harrods Technology.
The Art Edition has its origins in presenting the power and portability of the PEN system in a new way. The scooter is in effect a revved up case on wheels – the ultimate paparazzo companion while the camera kit includes two powerful new PEN E-P5 bodies and all the premium fast prime lenses in the Olympus micro system.
To give the kit a unique twist, no two will be the same. Each will be a one off lovingly painted on and illustrated by hand by urban artist Lowe in a design flowing through the scooter, helmet and camera.
The fact that Suzko is an urban artist goes hand in hand with street art and street photography, a favourite style of McLaughlin and also a genre of photography for which the Olympus PEN range is ideally suited. Jay has documented the whole customisation process of the first Art Edition Kit for a limited edition perfect bound catalogue available on request in store. (download a pdf here https://www.hightail.com/download/bWJxb2VBT003N0FpR01UQw )
Another perk of the Art Edition is that is qualifies the owner for a photographic training session with Jay who will explain the finer points of the system and give some photographic technique advice.
Via the Olympus Art Edition the E-P5 has become the ultimate portable camera kit complete with personal tuition and the ultimate ‘case’ – a custom painted Vespa scooter for the street photographer who likes to travel light.
Available for £16,000 from Thursday August 8th – exclusively at Harrods Technology
76 Responses
lol yeap we are definitely gonna see a $1500 OMD Pro
So, do *any* of these sell?
ask arab, chinese and russian tourists near Harrods… They are the target audience, I guess…
But it is really sad that the rich only target to Leica and the other fact is that those rich men are getting “poor”.
Actually my only problem with these special editions isn’t the price anymore but them being UGLY as hell.
At least if are you going to ask for that amount of money give me something pretty!
…but Doma…don.’t you understand…that grip is made out of real human flesh…what else could comma the price???
Well at least this is designed by a respected artist. The Hasselblads are designed by chavs.
and what did people say when they announced the Pentax K-01 designed by Marc Newson?
“Looks like Lego.”
I like it, though definitely wont buy…
This kind of luxury isn’t about being pretty, its about displaying your ability to waste money.
… Is this Olympus call art?
it’s just a piece of shit.
Faulty logic there pana. You may not like the camera, you may not like the concept, but this camera is every bit as good as a standard production model.
Oooh! Make a zebra striped one and you can bill it as the “Ted Nugent Edition”!
At least you get a scooter, 2 E-P5 and all the premium fast primes. Not only will you be the laughing stock of the camera world but also of the paparazzi. Seems a better deal that the shite from Hasselblad. And what the feck is “Harrods Technology”?
That Camera there is made by Zeus himself, normally it would cost £100,000 but now for a mere £16,000 it is without doubt the bargain of the century. Thank you OLYMPUS!
a want a camera made by thor, that would have a nice flash 😉
i hate pics, such as this one, that have such shallow DOF that you can’t even clearly see the entire camera and the art on it. what’s the point of taking pics of a camera to show people what it looks like if you then blur the damn thing. and these pics are by folk who should know better.
Also, this is better than the hassleblad because Oly’s name is attached to it and at least people will take notice of it. it’s marketing. must be some value to it because it’s a semi-common practice.
Because Olympus’s name is attached to that… Monstrosity.
Honestly, this is a sick April Fools Joke…
Well said.
But you also get a cool Vespa with the camera, so it is not a total waste of money.
Not just that…
“Each will be a one off lovingly painted on and illustrated by hand by urban artist Lowe in a design flowing through the scooter, helmet and camera.”
So see, you get a *helmet* too!
lol i was just joking to myself saying it looks like a teen girl designed this… take a look at the link
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/08/olympus-pen-art-edition-will-come-with-a-vespa-scooter/
It’s an interesting kit.
2 x EP5’s (one with the artists scribbles all over it – the other clean)
1x Body Cap lens
1x 12/2.0
1x 17/1.8 inc hood
1x 45/1.8 inc hood
1x 75/1.8 inc hood
1x 75-300 zoom
1x VF4
1x FL600R
2x Leather Body Jackets
2x Leather straps
2x Street cases
GBP16000 = AUD27000
So in Australian retail dollar terms the kit amounts to around $6000. So everything else is $20000.
You forgot the hand painted Vespa.
This means only one thing. Olympus is in deep trouble and is resorting to the last gasp ideas, same as Pentax, Hass and other famous brands when they slide into oblivion.
Admin, is there any rumor of the sale of the Olympus camera division? Or something similar as this great company head towards the gutters?
Canon is buying olympus to help design the next EOS-M
Your assertions are incorrect:-
Many successful brands release limited editions, these special editions are not so much aimed at generating profit but lifting the profile of the brand. For instance Volkswagen did a limited edition Adidas Golf a few years back – and the Golf is one of the most sold cars worldwide, and Volkswagen Group one of the most profitable.
And as for Olympus’s camera division – it has gone form strength to strength over the past five years. Of course if you have an agenda you can ignore this fact.
hand painted camera + hand painted scooter + a bunch of lenses. Since it seems to be designed and painted by a famous artist, the price isn’t really surprising. The market for this is probably different from the Lunar’s market since the Lunar is marketed at random nouveau riche while this is aimed at fans of this particular artist.
GEN Y CRAP
Wow – that is an iteresting set of reactions. Who knew humantity would evolve into such a spectrum of cretins, wankers and imbecilies. Apart from the peolle who get it of course who represent why we might just survive as a race.
Download the booklet that goes with it here – it expalins what it is all about.
An attampt to be a bit playful with he idea that the Pen is really portable
https://www.hightail.com/download/bWJxb2VBT003N0FpR01UQw
I will do that cover for a lot less.
C’mon, can anyone here read… I seriously doubt the painted pen is making up the lions share of the 16,000… No, there is also a custom painted Vespa.
Now Custom painted means that a respected artist hand painted this collectible, so while I wouldn’t buy it, your heading is incredibly misleading.
Abraham
Agreed. This has been reported and discussed elsewhere – must be a slow news day here – and there is more to this than just a camera, and it focuses on the artist, not the hardware. I would be more interested in the Vespa as well, although prefer a Harley or Triumph.
This is either a sign of desperation (as in Hasselblad) or the canny Japanese execs on the Oly board got into their stash of STUPID pills … or maybe both.
I wouldn’t call that art…
That’s pure genius Olympus!….now some will think the ep5 in it’s standard iteration is very cheap!
Glad Sony swooped in and swung a deal to use the 5-axis ibis.
I see the future and it is Sony.
RIP Olympus.
I’m… speechless…
If the Vespa bit is (also) real, then I guess the price makes sense, and point one for eccentricity…
I’m having trouble finding information on Suzco. If I saw more of her stuff, perhaps I would understand? This is what I have so far:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Lowe
http://banksyforum.proboards.com/thread/86063/new-suzko-print-soon?page=1&scrollTo=847974
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-03-05/entertainment/0903040071_1_susan-lowe-creative-alliance-characters
I found the real Suzco site; looks like there is a Susan Lowe and a Susie Lowe:
http://susielowe.carbonmade.com/
I like her stuff. Too bad I don’t need a Vespa. I take my initial reaction back.
Follow the link for the catalog, and you get a 7.4MB PDF file with more detail.
She has some nice work. I like here canvas drawings. Great expressions, great composition and nice color combinations. It makes me sad that some people in this comment section would shun another visual artist.
What do Hasselblad Lunar and the PEN Art Edition have in common?… SONY!
Wait rill the cheap knock offs hit ebay hongkong and buy, for those interested.
I’d pay $100 extra for a design like this, obviously machine-printed. They should offer these kind of color choices to regular consumers, it looks pretty nice to me.
Per this link posted by PannyBoom above, it might be hand-painted.
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/08/olympus-pen-art-edition-will-come-with-a-vespa-scooter/
Obviously, I’m not talking about this model.
@Ash
I don’t mind seeing Sony as a force in the imaging industry and I’d prefer to see them and Olympus both thrive and benifet each other.
One point to remember though is that this division for Sony hasn’t been profitable for a while and unless they turn it around (granted the new ceo is doing a lot while things are looking a little better) slowly but surely they may start cutting down and that’s not a position of confidence or strength compared to canon in the imaging world.
I’ll pay a n extra 100 if they do calligraphy of my choice on a pen I purchase.
LOL, look at this, you have an artist custom painting these things, selling their art along with electronics and here you have a bunch of photographer (supposedly artists as well) valuing the original artists work at $100. Cracke me up, photographers are some of the cheapest artists out there, so quick to criticize, so quick to copy.
still has no EFV…
No worth of that 5 digits price tag !
I really wonder who going to afford that kind of crazy price . Certainly not for us , likely for those without cameras acknowledge , celebrities mostly .
Better keep that money for Organic sensor cameras after GX7 or highend OMD .
The price is crazy but if there are people willing to pay that much — and probably there are — why not?
Oly, where are diamonds and gold?
ouch ! this is UGLY…I’m not too sad not to have 16000 to spend !
Well, if this kit makes someone happy, why not? The rest of you don’t have to buy it and it’s not outright silly like the Sony-wrapped-in-wood-Hasselblad.
If I would be artist or some other freelancer…have plenty of money …live in Paris/Rome/London or other nice city … I will buy just to enjoy the life 😉
next Oly step….. to acommodate also ordinary people is to add the free EP5 if you by new car like Mazda2 or Toyota Yaris etc
That’s not ‘art’, not even close.
I could print a sticker and paste it.Costs maybe 60$, if not less.
or remove the original “paint” and paint it myself.
Anyway this has no added value, no gold or diamonds. just some sketchy lines my a so called “artist”
Yeah, I could also buy a print of a Mondrian, or I could cut coloured paper and stick it down… But you do understand that isn’t the same thing? Plus YOUR perceived value of the artists work has no bearing or influence in the real world, hence he is being commission to do the work by a multinational and have his work sold in the most famous store int he world, while you are posting on a rumor site.
The type of comments here disgust me, are photographers really the lowest form of artist? It appears so here.
I have to say i could’t have done such art myself, and ofc a professional artist wants money for his work, its his job. nothing wrong with that.Altough i hate to see that a painting is valued because of its author, rather then how good its painted.
my point is that if i wanted a custom paint job, i would do it myself rather then hiring a artist to do it for me.Since i dont have the money for that,i merely own a gf3+14mm thats all.
Camera with a scooter kit in matching colors? That must be the first. 🙂
There’s new money and there’s old money, and then there’s short money. Short money is a term for people who got some money, but are too stupid keep it.
Looking at these comments I will say again, you all seem to have two big issues. Reading and comprehension, there is a custom painted camera AND a custom painted Vespa.
Lets say for arguments sake the two without the custom painted art costs about 9,000pounds alone, you are paying an artist 7,000pounds to custom paint them. Is that a lot of money for a custom paint job? It is a lot for an original piece of art?
Now get real, you want your photography to have some value, well then give this artist the same respect. Reading these comments here have given me a real insight as to what type of individual is posting.
Not sure I am following. The camera is less than 1000 pounds alone, so that would be 15000 pounds for a 2×3 inches one color drawing. And I’d give credit to the artist only if I like it.
Yep, my bad, too quick to comment. Change the prices accordingly. Same argument though.
You miss the point, this is either because you have little to no exposure to professional creative services or you see no value in an artists work.
Duchamp signed a latrine and called it “The Fountain”, a copy of which sold for $1.7 million, I commissioned a 3d artist for a project and my bill was $2750. Creatives value their work, they value their time and they value their style. Because someone on the internet doesnt like it, he feels it worthless, and in his little cosmos behind his laptop it may be, but in the real world we have a professional artist being commissioned by a large organization to put his style, his art on their design. Creating a collectible piece for the end user.
If you don’t think that artists work is worth $7000 extra, what makes you think the sunflower is worth as much as it is? I mean, I can buy a REAL sunflower for a couple of dollars, why pay millions for a mere facsimile.
Abraham
I sure am missing the point.
Unfortunately, you come at me with personal attacks and weak arguments.
“Duchamp signed a latrine and called it “The Fountain”, a copy of which sold for $1.7 million.”
And to you that does make sense? We definitely have different views as to what art is.
“I commissioned a 3d artist for a project and my bill was $2750.”
Your point being? If it was good work and you liked, it was worth it. If not, you got ripped off.
“Because someone on the internet doesnt like it, he feels it worthless, and in his little cosmos behind his laptop it may be, but in the real world we have a professional artist being commissioned by a large organization to put his style, his art on their design.”
So, because the guy is known for his work and because some huge company asked him to make a design, I should be appreciating said design? What kind of logic is that? If it’s a relatively unknown artist and he is doing his art for free for the local grocery store, then it’s not “real” art?
From your whole post I see you equate art with money, “professional creatives” and “large organizations”. Very unfortunate.
I will address your points one by one:
I sure am missing the point.
Unfortunately, you come at me with personal attacks and weak arguments.
It isn’t a personal attack to state the truth is it?
“Duchamp signed a latrine and called it “The Fountain”, a copy of which sold for $1.7 million.”
And to you that does make sense? We definitely have different views as to what art is.
It isn’t up to me or you to be ultimate arbitrators of what art is and is not. My point was that to someone, that was a very valuable piece of art, who are you, or I to disagree with their tastes and values?
“I commissioned a 3d artist for a project and my bill was $2750.”
Your point being? If it was good work and you liked, it was worth it. If not, you got ripped off.
Again you seem to miss the point (or have a closed mind) my point was art has value, as does technique and style. Do you disagree?
So, because the guy is known for his work and because some huge company asked him to make a design, I should be appreciating said design? What kind of logic is that? If it’s a relatively unknown artist and he is doing his art for free for the local grocery store, then it’s not “real” art?
Is that what I said? Why dont you stick to the point? I neither said it WAS art because of who was paying for it, not did I say your fictional man at the grocer was not an artist did I?
What I said was, for you to state this piece of arts value to the world as essentially worthless:
Not sure I am following. The camera is less than 1000 pounds alone, so that would be 15000 pounds for a 2×3 inches one color drawing. And I’d give credit to the artist only if I like it.
The whole point of art is not for people who dont like it to chime in on its lack of value or artistic merit, but for those who enjoy its art to enjoy it. Art is as much about the enjoyment as everything else. Noone asked you to give the artist credit, but noone also asked you to piss on his work.
So I will stop here, since I seem to be arguing with someone who has a limited comprehension skillset, which makes for a difficult discussion. Suffice it to say, my original point was, that for a bunch of supposed artists there are a lot of very closed minds here.
that is a douchey looking cam.
It is ugly as hell but for that kind of money I would do it. With £16000 I could buy a nice car. Now, if they only paid me like £10000 for it I would have second thoughts. It would not be enough to sweeten my pain for carrying around such a monstrosity.
Finally! What’s needed to sell that pen5! Er. No.
Olympus- keep doing this and you will screw up your last chance at the camera market.
It is fairly ridiculous. However I think it is pretty different from hasselblad. hasselblad is premium camera company and they are marketing cameras like Lunar under their brand as their own premium cameras, even though they are really standard sony cameras. It is like mercedes putting a new body on an accord and selling it as a mercedes. This E-P5 on the other hand is being marketed as an “accord with artwork”. If you like the artwork enough to pay the extra money, then good for you but no one is trying to claim that it is a mercedes.
Yeah, that’s great news.
One can always buy the original model.
So why so many useless comments?
Totally stupid you guys!